Madonna Inn

The next stop was Madonna Inn! Google cheezy, over-the-top, central California coast and the Madonna Inn should be in the first few results.

For the uninformed, it's the pink hotel on the 101 in San Luis Obispo. It has themed-decorated rooms, like the Caveman and the Edelweis, and it is totally kitsch! You may also have heard about the waterfall urinal in the men's room by the wine shop. Sadly, it was being serviced this time, so I have no photos to share.

Anyway, I've wanted to stay there for most of the 20 years I've been in LA, after stopping on trips up and down the coast. This adventure was my chance! I got the China Flower room, which was perfect since it was the beginning of Chinese New Year. Gold ceiling, lots of feng shui mirrors, brocade bedspread, orangy velour curtains, bamboo-styled bathroom fixtures, you get the idea! As there are 100+ rooms, I am now starting my check-off list to stay in them all!

Since I couldn't capture all the cheezy details in a single photo, instead I'm going with a food shot. Here you see the Madonna Frittata with spinach, tomato, mushrooms and zucchini, mozzarella and parmesan cheese. So cheese and cheezy! Note the special container of pink sugar. I had to have some tea just to use it! And those biscuits were begging for some sausage gravy, but you might recognize that this was a healthier choice for breakfast.

Spurred by a wise first meal, do you think I could maintain it for the rest of the day?

Click here to go to Madonna Inn's Web site.